Selling to goldfish: 3 tips to help physical therapists feast from the fishbowl

Goldfish are cool little creatures. Small. Happy (I think). Cheap. Don’t ask for much.
And boy are they distractible.
Though there’s not much to do in a fishbowl (at least the kind that make it into my house), goldfish have a teeny-tiny attention span. 9 seconds is all you get with a fish.
That’s it. In the time it takes you to count to ten, they’ve forgotten you. Onto something else. In a minute or two, they’ll be ready to experience you again for the first time.
As much as it would suck to be a goldfish (sorry, fish lovers), it would REALLY suck to have to sell to a goldfish.
Imagine having to grab the attention of a goldfish in the time it takes to count to ten. Not only that, but also set the stage for making the sale. Convincing them that you’ve got value to provide. That you’re better than your competition. That they should sign on the dotted line.

It’s a good thing we’re not selling to goldfish, right?
But we are.
Kinda. Actually, based on a study performed in 2015, selling to goldfish would give us some time to spare as compared to human counterparts.
That’s right. The human attention span is 8.5 seconds. A half-second less than our little golden buddies.
Thank technology. Smartphones. PS4. Whatever, because it doesn’t matter how or why. If you’re marketing physical therapy services and are hoping for a chance in hell that you’ll make a sale – you’d better start practicing in the fishbowl.
Ready for the good news? This is an achievable feat, and I’m going to show you how to make it happen in 3 steps.

3 Tips for Marketing Physical Therapy to Goldfish

1) Grab attention. Quick.

You don’t have time here. You need to reach out and grab your fish with something shiny. Something that smells like food (translates to “value” in our world). Something they haven’t exactly seen before.
To grab attention you need to be concise. Count the words it takes. 4 words is better than 5. 3 is better than 4. Don’t waste space with fluff. Not when selling to a goldfish.
Be big. Use headlines. Use attractive typeface. Think Times Square with this one. The big guys know they’re selling to goldfish, and you and I are in the fishbowl. Pay attention to what you see out there.
Use color. Be bold with it. Own your position. You’re selling to a goldfish here. You’ll come back to convince them your color is best after a bit. Right now, you’re working against the clock to do one thing. Catch. Their. Attention.

2) Make a Positive Impression

Now that you’ve got their attention, you’re going to make a positive impression. ‘Cuz a lousy one…well, you can put that together.
Making an impression for a goldfish also has to happen fast. They aren’t going to come back for a second serving if you screw it up the first time. Goldfish here, remember?
If they look at you, smile. If they smile at you, say hi. If they call or email? Drop what you’re doing. They are all who exists in this world right now. If you want to sell to them, that is.
Are they on your website? (I’m sure fish have the web by now) Leave a good impression by showing them what they want without a bazillion clicks. Provide your callback number and a map to your location front and center.
Predict what they want and give it to them upfront without making them ask. That’s how you make an impression.

3) Leave breadcrumbs.

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve got the attention of a goldfish for crying out loud! You left a good impression, and they might even like you. Don’t lose it now. You’ve got to leave breadcrumbs to allow them to find you again when they need something.
It’s when they come back that you’ll sell. Or at least be really close to it.
But no breadcrumbs, and you’ve wasted time AND money achieving the damn-near impossible – catching the attention of a goldfish.
In closing, it’s not impossible for physical therapists to sell to goldfish. But to do so effectively, you’ve got to know the parameters you’re dealing with. 8.5 seconds (for humans). 3 steps: Grab attention quick, make a positive impression, leave breadcrumbs. Go!

Have you mastered the art of selling to goldfish? Let me know at @tannusquatre or tannus at buildpt.com. I love to share, but I love learning even more 😉